


Overdue

by impolitecanadian



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: F/M, M/M, idk i guess this is kind of angsty im not really sure, look at aaron he finally grew up, man i cant fucking write good luck, rated teen and up because of swears
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-11
Updated: 2017-03-11
Packaged: 2018-10-02 20:52:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,260
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10227110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/impolitecanadian/pseuds/impolitecanadian
Summary: "He wasn't an idiot.  Unlike Nicky, Aaron was smart enough to realize that it was a lot more than hate fucking.  That when Neil disappeared he hadn’t seen Andrew lose control like that, or so obviously feel like that in the entirety that he knew him.  And yet, when Andrew snarled at Abby with murder in his tone, Neil never shied away.  The idiot had actually visibly relaxed more under Andrew’s hands, like they were safe. Like he knew that Andrew would never hurt him.  There was something more there, between Neil and Andrew. There always had been."Aaron finally apologizes for the conversation he had with Neil at the cabin.





	

It was the little things that made Aaron realize that Neil and Andrew were in love.  It was in the way their eyes always searched for the other in a room, and in the way Andrew’s apathetic mask lifted ever so slightly when Neil walked through a door. It was in the way they snuck off to the roof together when they thought nobody would notice, and in the bus trips to games when they would sit in the back of the bus and make it their own, separate world from everybody else.  Aaron could see it in the way Neil looked at Andrew as though he hung the fucking moon, and the way Andrew looked at Neil as though he were the only thing in the world interesting enough to be worthy of his attention.  Intense wasn’t even an intense enough word to explain the eye contact they shared.  It was in the soft “stays” and the softer “yes or no’s” mumbled in the presence of the foxes. It was in “I asked” and “You were amazing”, and a raising percent nobody on the team understood.

They weren’t an overly-affectionate couple.  In fact, many people would struggle to even call them a couple over the harsh Russian they spat at each other on the court.  But there was no doubt that they cared deeply for each other, especially when Andrew would occasionally amuse Neil and shut the goal down and Neil’s face would light up brighter than a kid on Christmas morning. 

He wasn't an idiot.  Unlike Nicky, Aaron was smart enough to realize that it was a lot more than hate fucking.  That when Neil disappeared he hadn’t seen Andrew lose control like that, or so obviously feel like that in the entirety that he knew him.  And yet, when Andrew snarled at Abby with murder in his tone, Neil never shied away.  The idiot had actually visibly relaxed more under Andrew’s hands, like they were safe. Like he knew that Andrew would never hurt him.  There was something more there, between Neil and Andrew. There always had been.

So it was probably around Aaron’s fourth year when he realized he’d been a complete and utter asshole.  He had wanted to hurt Neil that day in the mountains.  “Don’t lie to a liar” Neil had once said as he was exposing everything in a hotel room in Baltimore, and if you want to hurt him don’t call a man worthless when he already thinks of himself that way.  So Aaron had gone after the only thing he knew Neil was at least slightly invested in; Andrew.

And it wasn’t like Aaron was expecting to get punched, but wasn’t exactly a surprise when he saw the rage well up in Neil’s eyes.  But he had enough rage himself to overlook exactly what he’d said to Neil.  Katelyn was a constant, like the blood running through his veins, he could feel her behind every heartbeat, every pulse. 

“You wanted me to fight for her.  Do you think he’ll fight for you?” Aaron had asked. 

And because Neil’s honest streak apparently wasn’t over he’d told him “No.”

He knew that punch hurt Neil more than it hurt him, but wasn’t Neil used to that?  To inflicting more damage on himself than anyone else?   _Violently self-destructive. The both of them_ , Aaron thought, _they deserve each other_.

It was in Aaron’s fifth and last year that he finally accepted that Neil was a permanent fixture in Andrew’s life, just like Katelyn was in his.  He knew it was serious when Andrew agreed to the room switch, but he still figured it was something Andrew would get bored of eventually.  He always got bored of things with commitment.  Things like having a brother.

He talked about everything with Katelyn.  Their upcoming graduation, medical schools, the team, how he was done with Exy.  The future. He was in her dorm room, helping her clean the dishes when he just came out and said it, “I think Neil’s going to end up being my brother-in-law.”

She hummed in acknowledgement and then turned to him, “And is that a bad thing?”

“He hates me,” he told her.

“You kind of did that yourself, hon.” She said calmly. Aaron never hid anything from her. Not anymore, not since Andrew finally broke their deal and let them have this.

“I know, I just,” Aaron sighed.  Words were never easy for him, “I don’t want our family completely broken, Katelyn.  I want any kids we have to meet their uncle eventually.”

“ _Uncles,_ ” She corrected, “Maybe that’s where to start?  To just acknowledge that Neil is a part of Andrew’s life.”

“I have.”

“No,” She said, “You really haven’t.  Anytime they’re together you advert your eyes.  And don’t get me started on the comments you make, Aaron. I know you’re not homophobic, but you sure as hell don't try not to sound like you are.” 

Aaron pursed his lips and dried off his hands. He handed Katelyn the towel and walked over to her couch to sit down heavily.  “All I’m saying,” she continued, “Is maybe it’s time for you to grow up and apologize.”

A bitter laugh escaped his lips, “Apologize? What do I have to apologize for? Lord knows Andrew and Neil never have.”

“Andrew is Andrew and he will never even think he owes someone an apology,” Katelyn told him taking her place on the couch next to him. She reached out and took his hand in hers, “You and I both know that you said some things you shouldn’t have. Especially after Baltimore.”

There it was.  It hit him almost like that punch to the face Neil gave him.  How hadn’t he seen it before?  Neil had never openly disliked Aaron until that point.  In fact, leading up to it, he had been helping him fix his relationship with Andrew.  Aaron knew that of course that was mostly for Andrew’s benefit, but it was still there.  “I’m a fucking asshole,” Aaron said, putting his forehead on Katelyn’s shoulder. 

“You are,” She agreed, “But I love you anyways.”

Aaron decided he had to apologize to Neil before graduation.  Before Andrew and him moved apart and their relationship, that already hung by a thread, could be severed.  He had to tell Neil that he wanted Andrew in his life, even if it meant accepting Neil as family.  It was approaching May when he casually stopped Andrew on the way to the roof and asked him if he could speak with Neil.  Andrew looked hesitant, but agreed.

“If you push him off, it saves me the trouble of doing it myself,” Andrew told him, “But I won’t help you hide the body.”

“I’m not going to push him off the roof,” Aaron said.

Andrew nodded once and started to walk towards his room. He turned towards Aaron and added, “If he pushes you off, I _will_ help him hide the body.”

Aaron returned Andrew’s nod and then climbed the stairs up to the top.  The night air chilled him, but not enough to make him uncomfortable.  Neil was sitting on the lip of the roof, his feet casually dangling off the side with a lit cigarette in his hand.  Aaron had noticed in his third year that Neil never actually smoked, but he never cared enough to ask why.  Neil must have heard the door open, because he began speaking.

“Andrew, babe, you’re not going to fucking believe this-” Neil said turning towards Aaron, “Oh, not Andrew.”

“Not Andrew,” Aaron agreed.

“What the fuck do you want?” Neil asked.  Aaron noticed his eyes glancing at the edge of the roof and he really hoped Andrew wasn’t serious about Neil’s likeliness to push him off.

“I want to talk to you,” Neil scoffed but didn’t say anything else, “About Andrew,” Aaron added.

“Oh, because the last time we talked about Andrew went so well?” Aaron felt himself flinch at Neil’s reference to their conversation in the mountains, “Go to hell, Aaron.”

“I shouldn’t have said what I said,” Aaron said quietly.

“No, you really fucking shouldn’t have.” Neil turned away from him to look over the campus.

“I might be an idiot,” Aaron said as he walked forward and sat down next to Neil, “But I’m not stupid.”

“Debatable,” Neil said, flicking the ash off his cigarette.

Aaron looked out over the campus, deciding that it was easier to talk to than Neil. “You know; I grew up in a house with the same mindset as Nicky.  And Nicky – Nicky has always been stronger than me.”

“If you’re making excuses for your behaviour, I’m not interested,” Neil said coolly.

Aaron sighed, “I’m not making excuses.  I’m just trying to make you understand.”

Neil scoffed again, “I’m not fucking interested in understanding you.”

“Just shut up and listen, Josten.” Aaron said and Neil looked at him with cold, piercing blue eyes.  He had been so much less threatening with brown eyes.  Not even threatening, just so much less in general. The contacts suddenly made sense to Aaron.  Aaron sighed, “I’m sorry, okay? I know it’s overdue. I’ve done a lot of shit and said a lot of shit and you don’t owe me your forgiveness.”

Neil looked confused, “What brought this on?”

“I’m proposing to Katelyn at graduation,” Aaron answered. Funny that Neil was the first person he told.

“Congrats,” Neil said flatly.

“I realized when I bought the ring that I want Andrew to be at my wedding,” Aaron told him, “I still want Andrew in my life.  Even after school is over and he signs with his pro-team.  And… and I don’t know right now if he’ll even talk to me after we stop seeing each other every day.”

“You gave up his protection.” Neil put out his cigarette.

“I don't want him to be my protector,” Aaron made eye contact with Neil, something he’d been avoiding, “I want him to be my brother. I want any kids I have to know their uncle,” Aaron paused thinking about what Katelyn had said earlier, “ _Uncles_.”

Neil’s eyebrows raised but he didn’t react past that, “What makes you think I’ll still be around?”

“Because Andrew is going pro for you.” He answered

“Andrew doesn’t do anything like that for me,” Neil said.

Aaron paused, “He doesn’t like Exy.”

A smile played on Neil’s lips, “Yeah, he hates it.”

“Look, I just want what little family I have left to stay together,” Aaron said, “And I’m willing to accept that that family includes you.  So I’m apologizing, because I know he’ll do anything if you ask him.  And you can ask him not to speak to me again.”

“I would never ask him that.” Neil paused, “I don’t forgive you,” he told him, but the iciness had left his voice, “I won’t ever forgive you for what you said.  I actually regret I couldn’t hit you harder.  But I’m willing to be a part of your family, and I’m willing to be civil.” Neil paused again, but finished his thought, “For Andrew.  I’m willing to do that for Andrew.”

“You really do love him, don’t you?” Aaron asked.

Neil didn’t even take a breath before responding, “Of course I do.”

“And he loves you.” Aaron said.  It wasn’t a question, so much as a statement.  An answer they both already knew.

“Of course he does.” Neil responded.

They sat in silence for a bit longer, looking out over the campus, before Aaron spoke up again, “I was right then, wasn’t I?  I said it was something else way back in the mountains.”

Neil grunted, but didn’t say anything in response. “And I guess you were wrong too,” Aaron added, “You thought he wouldn’t fight for you, but he does.  Every single day, he does.”

Neil didn’t look at Aaron, but he saw a fond smile grow on his face, and he took that as his cue to leave. He paused at the door and turned back to where Neil was sitting and uttered a soft “Thank you.” He wasn’t sure if Neil heard, but he didn’t really need him to.

He made his way down the hallway and knocked on Andrew’s door.

“I told you I wouldn’t help you hide his body,” Andrew said flatly.

“He’s still on the roof,” Aaron answered the unasked question Andrew was posing.  Andrew nodded and went back into the room before re-emerging with two jackets. Aaron pretended not to notice that Andrew had shrugged on Neil’s number 10 jacket with Josten written across the back.

“So you didn’t kill him?” Andrew asked boredly.

Aaron blinked. “No.”

“That’s a shame,” Andrew said, “I have to do everything myself.”  He pushed past Aaron and started walking towards the stairwell that led to the roof.

“Hey, Andrew?” Aaron said, and waited for Andrew to turn to look at him before continuing, “He’s good for you.”

Andrew stared at him with the same apathetic look he always had, “What the fuck would you know?” he said and then turned and pushed through the door.

Aaron watched him leave, and neither of them ever mentioned that interaction again. Even if Aaron had brought it up, Andrew would have pretended it meant nothing.  But Aaron could have sworn he saw the edge of Andrew’s mouth perk up when he finally gave Andrew his approval.  Because no matter how hard they tried to deny it, they were brothers.  And knowing your brother’s got your back means something. Whether they wanted it to or not.

**Author's Note:**

> i wrote this instead of an essay because like do i really need a degree?
> 
> anyways my aftg sideblog on tumblr is @allforthecourtt and my main blog is @impolitecanadian so follow me if you like shitty memes and stuff
> 
> i hope you liked whatever this is and i hope you have a great day! :)


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